"He means well. I know NBC means well. But I am retired. I ain't going back on television. There's no need for me to go back. It's gonna be one of those self-congratulatory things. Look how good we are! I'm just not going to do it!"

Reporter Bill Zehme has been courting Carson for years and the relationship has paid off in spades: On May 8th, ESQUIRE rolls out an exhaustive exclusive interview with the press-shy Carson, running 10 pages.

Carson rips FOX for its Super Bowl red-white-and-blue coverage following 9/11: "When you look at the production -- give me a break!" Carson says. "Norman Mailer said something about patriotism being a nice thing, but just ease up a bit... It's nice to live in this country, but ease up!"

Carson takes on Bush: "Can you believe this Enron mess? I love how his good friend 'Kenny Boy' suddenly turned into 'Mr. Lay'... Give me a break! It will be a long time before we ever understand what's going on behind that story."

Carson has nightmare dreams that he still is host of the TONIGHT SHOW: "It's show time and I am going on -- and I've got nothing to say! I wake up in a sweat!"

He tells Zehme that the only time he wished he was back on the air and not retired was during the Monica Lewinsky mess.

"It's John. I regret it now," Carson said to Wright in a phone call. "I haven't seen such an abundance of material in my life!"

Drugdge either has bad taste of bad timing as Johnny Carson just passed away. He was a great talent, made Americans laugh for 30 years. I missed him after he retired, there's been nothing like him since. Rest in peace Mr. Carson, you helped millions of Americans feel good for a very long time, you will be sorely missed.

4
posted on 01/24/2005 1:46:16 AM PST
by SeaBiscuit
(God Bless all who defend America and the rest can go to hell.)

Yes, Johnny Carson has emphysema. Yes, he is still keeping a low profile. But no, he is not on his deathbed, thank you very much.

That's the word today from the late-night talkmeister's camp as it tries to snuff an upcoming tabloid story claiming Carson is seriously ailing.

The National Enquirer will report in its next issue that Carson has "been grappling with killer emphysema for several years and wants to stay out of the public eye." Although the tab doesn't hit supermarket shelves until Friday, the gist of the story was leaked in Thursday's New York Post.

"I'm dealing with it the best I can and it is not causing me any major problems," Carson said.

In the brief statement, Carson says he first learned of the story after a 45-minute stint of tennis at his Malibu cliff-side enclave.

Carson, who turns 77 in October, was frequently caught puffing away during his 1962-92 tenure manning the desk on NBC's Tonight Show, but he claims to have given up his cigarette habit. Smoking is the leading cause of emphysema, an incurable degenerative lung disease that causes shortness of breath. Exercise and medication are among the treatments used to keep the condition in check.

The iconic funnyman has remained way off the show-biz radar since his retirement, rarely turning up in public and even refusing to attend NBC's 75th anniversary special earlier this year.

Carson's reclusion has led to much speculation about his health, especially since he underwent quadruple-bypass heart surgery in 1999 following a reported heart attack.

But according to an Esquire magazine profile earlier this year, Carson's doing just fine. He and fourth wife Alexis spend most of their time ensconced in their Malibu digs or cruising the world in their custom-crafted 130-foot yacht, the Serengeti. (The vessel's name reflects Carson's love of Africa. He visits Tanzania so often he's even learned to speak some Swahili.)

He also reportedly finds time for the occasional poker game with fellow funnymen Carl Reiner, Steve Martin and Chevy Chase and media mogul Barry Diller.

What do you mean Drudge has bad taste? It is information that he reported on Carson in 2002. The man is not a saint. I liked Carson also but there is nothing wrong with the truth either. If you don't like it don't read it.

Carson takes on Bush: "Can you believe this Enron mess? I love how his good friend 'Kenny Boy' suddenly turned into 'Mr. Lay'... Give me a break! It will be a long time before we ever understand what's going on behind that story."

Carson takes on Bush: "Can you believe this Enron mess? I love how his good friend 'Kenny Boy' suddenly turned into 'Mr. Lay'... Give me a break! It will be a long time before we ever understand what's going on behind that story."

Survivor Johnny Carson says Survivor contestants are "silly people." In a rare interview, Johnny Carson "disparaged" reality TV to Esquire, according to Reuters summary of the interview. He said of Survivor's cast members, "These silly people will do anything the director suggests because they want to be on television. They want to be somebody! I say, take 'em and put 'em in the Congo for four days -- see how they do over there."

The thing about Johnny Carson was, you could barely tell his politics. Sure, from the sounds of it, he was left of center. But what made him so great was, you couldn't tell. His jokes and so forth didn't give off some political spin that today's comics do. And other then this interview, Carson kept to himself and stayed out of the limelight. Unlike some of today's so-called entertainers.

He may not be perfect (of course) but he was still a great man.

21
posted on 01/24/2005 2:09:19 AM PST
by Simmy2.5
(DUmmies in mourning. World is a better place.)

It was written in 2002 and reposted by Drudge. Some of you think that you can police the threads if there is something that you don't want to read, don't. The rest of us want to know more about him than just the Larry King love fest.

******

My dad died of emphysema so I don't wish that on anyone.

******

07/03/2004 Johnny Carson, The Man Who Retired From the 2002 Esquire article : "I think I left at the right time," he says now. "You've got to know when to get the hell off the stage, and the timing was right for me. The reason I really don't go back or do interviews is because I just let the work speak for itself." Inasmuch, I have come to know that he is far better than simply fine; he is supremely self-assured of his place in the firmament, secure about the lasting worth of that which he quit doing for television cameras and for his country. He is contented in a way wise humans can only aspire to be but rarely are. Always with a shrug and a whiff of final punctuation, he regularly repeats to friends and family three short words: "I did it." Nobody argues.

He tells Zehme that the only time he wished he was back on the air and not retired was during the Monica Lewinsky mess. "It's John. I regret it now," Carson said to Wright in a phone call. "I haven't seen such an abundance of material in my life!"

He must be democratic! A democratic communist!! A democratic communist lesbian!!! A democratic communist lesbian attorney!!!! A democratic communist lesbian attorney Islamonazi!!!!! This is hugh! This is series! And it's all Bushes fault!!!!!!!!

When a person dies, it's time to respectfully (try) to remember the good things about them.

I'm not convinced he was left of center. Merv Griffin is GOP and a close friend. Heck, in the LKL transcript, Merv talks about Johnny meeting President Reagan and First Lady Nancy and being worried about how they'd receive him because of the jokes he told... naturally both Reagan's hugged him!

I think Carson was a class act. His personal politics were kept to himself as far as I can tell.

During their coverage yesterday, the Fox News entertainment reporter (forgot his name, but he used to sit in the third seat on Fox & Friends Weekend before he was replaced with Julian) said that Johnny was a big fan of Fox News Channel.

Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.